Little Falls transcript., 1887-05-20
w on by Prayer.

W on by Prayer.
Cleveland Plaind dealer: Saints. sim.
aers, and the Beecher tamil 3 has.
been printed as the remark Of the
late venerable Dr.. Todd Of Pittsfield.
Mass. POSSIBLY the following anec-
aote OF che father, which I had from
bis eldest son, the Rev. William ii.
Beecber, may illustrate the peculiari-
ties of his family. The old gentleman
had lost his second or third wife and
resolved to marry again. Hence at a.
family gathering in Cincinnati he said:
:sMy children, hitherto have married
altogether to suit myself, but now I
intend to marry again, and am will.
ing to marry to suit you if you
can think. of any suitable and
proper person who will have
me-" The. children put their
heads together and concluded that a
certain Mrs. Jackson, who kept a
large boarding house in Boston, and
was a member Of Edwards church,
would make him q capital wife, and it
was arranged for the Rev. Edward to
negotiate with Mrs. Jackson. After
waiting a. week or so the old gentle
man became impatient and started
for Boston, driving to Mrs. Jackson's
house, calling for her, and unfolding
at once the object of his mission. The
good lady was thunderstruck, pro-
tested that she had no idea OF marry
ing, and couldn't think ofsuch thing;
it was impossible. To all of which
the old doctor replied that he was
equally surprised. The arrangement
had been made in Cincinnati. Ed
ward was to prepare the way, and he
had made his arrangements to preach
in Andover and Amherst and to attend
the May anniversaries, and expected,
of course, to take her with him as his
wife. At this point the good lady ex-
pressed herself as shocked, that Ed
ward had never spoken to her ON the
subject; nor would it have made any
difference if he had, as for marrying
again she could not and would not
not even the venerable and celebrated
DR.. Lyman Beecher! After a mo-
ment's pause the doctor said: my
dear Mrs. Jackson, l am sorry you
have so much feeling about it, but l
will stay with you a day or two and
we will talk the matter up," to which
the lady responded that her house
was full, she had no suitable room for
him, and could not entertain him.
30, never mind then," said the doc
tor, II will 20 around to Edwards
and come and take tea with you"
And sure enough at tea time the doc
tor was there and sat next to Mrs.
Jackson at the table. It was one of
those large boarding-houses on Bea-
con street at which the lady OF the
house presides as q sort of matron,
and to the tea-table of which the
boarders kept coming and going for
two or three hours. Of course the
old doctor became impatient and
kept whispering to Mrs. Jackson: I
want to see you alone!" II must see
you alone' "Can't you see me alone?"
At length Mrs. Jackson left the table
with him and they went to g. room
by themselves. What then occurred,
God only knows, but the family story
is that the good lady protested, ex-
pressed her amazement, and even
said: "You must be crazy; the SUBJ
ject is too serious and solemn to be
thought Of without prayers to God"
"Have you not prayed about it,"
said the doctor. "Paryed about it!
No." said Mrs. Jackson; "have not
thought of such at thing" "Let us
pray" was the solemn response OF
Beecher, and they knelt down and
prayed. Of course the Almighty was
argued with; what good wife Mrs.
Jackson would make him; what
blessing it would be to her; how much
good she could do in the holy cause;
what a disappointment if she did not
marry him. Then, observing her to
be in a melting mood, he reached out
his hand, took hold of hers, and said,
"Amen." Yes, and amen it was. The
grand boardlng-house was broken up,
to the surprise of all Boston, and
Mrs. Jackson became Mrs. Lyman
Beecher, making him a "capital wife,"
indeed.